Dwarf
Dwarves have a well-earned reputation as a stoic and stern people, ensconced within citadels and cities carved from solid rock. While some see them as dour and humorless crafters of stone and metal, dwarves and those who have spent time among them understand their unbridled zeal for their work, caring far more about quality than quantity. To a stranger, they can seem untrusting and clannish, but to their friends and family, they are warm and caring, their halls filled with the sounds of laughter and hammers hitting anvils. Dwarven People Dwarves are slow to trust those outside their kin, but this wariness is not without reason. Dwarves have a long history of forced exile from ancestral holds and struggles against the depredations of savage foes, especially giants, goblinoids, orcs, and the horrors that dwell deep below the surface. While trust from a dwarf is hard-won, once gained it is as strong as iron. You Might... *Strive to uphold your personal honor, no matter the situation. *Appreciate quality craftsmanship in all forms and insist upon it for all your gear. *Don’t waver or back down once you’ve set your mind to something. Others Probably... *See you as stubborn, though whether they see this as an asset or a detriment changes from one person to the next. *Assume you are an expert in matters related to stonework, mining, precious metals, and gems. *Recognize the deep connection you have with your family, heritage, and friends. Physical Description Dwarves are short and stocky, standing about a foot shorter than most humans. They have wide, compact bodies and burly frames. Dwarves of all genders pride themselves on the length of their hair, which they often braid into intricate patterns, some of which represent specific clans. A long beard is a sign of masculinity and honor among the dwarves, and thus a clean-shaven male dwarf is considered weak, untrustworthy, or worse. Dwarves typically reach physical adulthood around the age of 25, though their traditionalist culture places more value on completing coming of age ceremonies unique to each clan than reaching a certain age. A typical dwarf can live to around 350 years old. Society The ancient surface empire the dwarves once ruled fell long ago, overwhelmed by orc and goblinoid enemies. Today’s dwarves today retain many of the qualities that propelled their people to greatness in ancient times: fierceness, gumption, and stubbornness in endeavors ranging from battle and craftsmanship to forging ties with family and friends. While the distance between their mountain Sky Citadels can create vast cultural divides between various dwarf clans, most dwarven societies share a number of similarities. Nearly all dwarven peoples share a passion for stonework, metalwork, and gem-cutting. Most are highly skilled at architecture and mining, and many share a hatred of giants, orcs, and goblinoids. Few dwarves are seen without their clan dagger strapped to their belt. This dagger is forged just before a dwarf’s birth and bears the gemstone of their clan. A parent uses this dagger to cut the infant’s umbilical cord, making it the first weapon to taste their blood. Alignment and Religion Dwarves tend to value honor and closely follow the traditions of their clans and kingdoms. They have a strong sense of friendship and justice, though they are often very particular about who they consider a friend. They work hard and play harder— especially when strong ale is involved. The typical dwarf is lawful good or lawful neutral and prefers to worship deities of those alignments. Torag, god of dwarvenkind, is the dwarves’ primary deity, though worship of Torag’s family members is also common. Names Dwarves honor their children with names taken from ancestors or dwarven heroes, and it’s quite rare to invent a new name or to borrow a name from another culture for a child. A dwarf’s name belongs to the clan, not to the individual. A dwarf who misuses or brings shame to a clan name is stripped of the name and forbidden by law to use any dwarven name in its place. :Male Names :Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, Morgran, Orsik, Oskar, Rangrim, Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, Vondal :Female Names :Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra :Clan Names :Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, Ungart Dwarf Abilities You have an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature. :Attribute Boosts :Constitution, Wisdom, and one Free boost. :Attribute Flaw :Charisma :Darkvision :You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were normal light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. :Hit Points :You gain 10 racial hit points. :Languages :You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarven. You also know a number of additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Dwarven is full of hard consonants and rarely includes soft or sibilant sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other languages you may speak. :Size :Your size is Medium. :Speed :Your base walking speed is 20 feet. :Traits :You have the Dwarf and Humanoid traits. Dwarf Heritages With their long family lines and hardy physiologies, dwarves take great pride in the resilience their bloodlines provide. Choose one of the following dwarven heritages. Ash Dwarf As a ash dwarf, you have a cunning intellect and a resistance to magic that comes from generations of life in the underdark. Due to their cutthroat society, ash dwarves are typically wiry and lean. Their skin has lost all pigmentation and is often described as an ashen gray. They always have black eyes, and their hair is often gray, orange, red, or gold. :Attribute Boost :Intelligence :Ancient-Blooded :Ashen dwarves have a long history of resisting dangerous magic, and some of that resistance manifests in you. You gain the Ancient Resistance reaction. : Deep Dwarf As a deep dwarf, you're sound of mind and body, attuned to the hallowed halls your people are charged with defending. Deep dwarves are taller than most dwarves, and almost always have cool shades of stone-gray skin. Their hair is much the same, resembling cool-gray stone and unchanging with time. Their eyes shine like glimmering metals in shades of silver, grey, and gold. :Attribute Boost :Resolve :Death Warden :Your ancestors have been tomb guardians for generations, and the power they cultivated to ward off necromancy has passed on to you. If you roll a success on a saving throw against a necromancy effect, you get a critical success instead. Forge Dwarf As a forge dwarf, you are nimble in both mind and body, accustomed to the ever-changing landscapes of deserts or volcanic mountains. Forge dwarves are shorter than most dwarves, and tend to have dark- to cool-brown skin. They almost always have dark-brown or black hair, and their eyes are golden, brown, or hazel. :Attribute Boost :Dexterity :Heat Resistance :You have a remarkable adaptation to hot environments from ancestors who inhabited blazing deserts or volcanic chambers beneath the earth. You gain fire resistance equal to half your level (minimum 1), and you treat environmental heat effects as if they were one step less extreme (incredible heat becomes extreme heat, extreme heat becomes severe heat, and so on). Hill Dwarf As a hill dwarf, you have keen senses, deep intuition, and remarkable resilience. Hill dwarves are stout and somewhat squatter than other dwarves with light brown or tanned skin. They have green, brown, or hazel eyes, and their hair is often black, gray, or brown, which fades to light gray over time. :Attribute Boost :Poise :Poison Resistance :Your blood runs hearty and strong, and you can shake off toxins. You gain poison resistance equal to half your level (minimum 1), and each of your successful saving throws against a poison effect reduces it's stage one time more than usual for that effect. Mountain Dwarf As a mountain dwarf, you're strong and hardy, accustomed to a difficult life in rugged terrain. Mountain dwarves are taller and wider than most dwarves with pale or lightly tanned skin. They have green, blue, or silver eyes, and their hair is often red, brown, or dark-blonde, which fades to white over time. :Attribute Boost :Strength :Stone Stability :Your ancestors lived and worked among the great ancient stones of the mountains or the depths of the earth. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to all DCs against attempts to Shove or Trip you. This bonus also applies to saving throws against spells or effects that attempt to knock you prone. In addition, if any effect would force you to move 10 feet or more, you are moved only half the distance. Ancestry Feats At 1st level, you gain one ancestry feat, and you gain an additional ancestry feat every 4 levels thereafter (at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels). As a dwarf, you select from among the following ancestry feats. 1st Level 5th Level 9th Level 13th Level 17th Level